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Classification vs. Position

Former Senior Men's National Team Head Coach Mike Frogley and current Senior Women's National Team Head Coach Bill Johnson go Head2Head discussing the reasons why wheelchair basketball players are referred to by their classification instead of by position like in stand-up basketball.

Mike Frogley -

Head Coach - University of Illinois Wheelchair Basketball Team

Bill Johnson -

Head Coach - Canadian Sr. Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team

Why Classification vs. Position?:

"In wheelchair basketball a player’s individual role on the court is usually defined by their specific skills and abilities. Therefore, in general, a player’s classification - the number assigned to them based on their functional ability to perform certain basketball related tasks - often provides a good indication of the role they are assigned.

Whereas in stand-up basketball players are usually categorized into five positions (point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center) that help define their role on the court and which can dictate where they should be positioned at any given time; in wheelchair basketball a player’s role and positioning is often more fluid and will be influenced by both their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of their teammates and the opposition.

In essence, wheelchair basketball players are often assigned hybrid roles that cater to the overall lineup they are playing with and against. For this reason you often see wheelchair basketball coaches implement motion systems that allow players to move around a lot and cover for one another, and which prevent players from being limited to any one position in the classical sense. Furthermore, a particular player’s role may change depending on who is on the court with him/her, as well as whether or not he/she is on offense or defense.

What we are talking about tends to be a philosophy we have in Canada. It is not shared by everybody else in the world. This may be why we have enjoyed the success we have. You see this philosophy in our Long-Term Athlete Development model."

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Mike Frogley

Why Classification vs. Position?:

On hybrid posistions and how they can influence a lineup:

"When we play a lineup of 4.5 (Tara), 3.5 (Cindy), 3.5 (Chantal), 1.5 (Elaine) and 1.0 (Jess) we have Tara play as a centre for us. She is our only real height so she needs to play closer to the basket on offense so that we have a legitimate rebounder there. When we substitute a 4.5 (Janet) and a 2.5 (Katie) for our 2 3.5s, Tara's role changes to more of a guard/forward, something like a small forward in able-bodied basketball. We use her as our secondary ball-handler and we really use her outside shooting prowess in this group. We also ask Tara to guard the biggest player on the other team with that first group, but with the second group that job goes to Janet and Tara would be asked to guard a smaller, quicker player on the perimeter.

Another example is when we run that first grouping (4.5, 3.5, 3.5, 1.5, 1.0) we use Cindy (3.5) as our primary ball-handler, something of a point-guard position. When we substitute Tracey (3.0) for Chantal (who plays as a forward) we move Cindy into more of a forward position and Tracey becomes the point-guard. This allows Cindy to do more without the ball, driving to the hoop and creating lanes for herself and for others. This also tends to collapse defenses, allowing our other players to have open mid-range shots. With the first grouping Cindy would be used to guard a small, quick player on the other team, mostly on the perimeter. With the second group she would be asked to guard a bigger player and try and keep them away from the basket."

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Bill Johnson